Printing press



W 3 1 W M? 3% Z March 15 1932. F. R. BELLUCHE PRINTING PRESS Filed Oct. 19, 1929 March 15, 1932.

F. R. BELLUCHE PRINTING PRESS Filed Oct. 19-, 1 929 '2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Mar 15, 11932 UNITED STAT-ESfPATEN'l; OFFICE mm a. nnnnucnn, or nncmn, wrscousm rnm'rme ranss Application flledfictober 19, 1929. ,Serial No.4(l0,843

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in printing presses and refers more particularly to multi-color' presses. A

Heretofore, all of the color units of multicolor presses have been connected with, and simultaneously driven by a common means. With this construction it is obvious that only one unit could be made ready at one time, and as a press, during make-ready, is idle from a production .standpoint, the excessive time reuired for this operation was costly. The time required for make-ready in such presses has been approximately 40% of the normal operating time leaving but 60% of the time for'actual printing or productive work.1

Make-ready has also been exceptionally" diflicult in conventional multi-color presses, due to the necessity of the plates of the difi'erent plate 0 linders being exactly in line as to side and ront register. Poor register, was also caused in some presses by the transfer of sheets from one cylinder to another between colors.

' It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a multi-color press in which the time required for make-ready is reduced to that required for a single color press, 1

This is accomplished by the provision of an individual drive motor for each color unit of the press, and means whereby the different motors may be connected to ether to provide a simultaneous drive for al of the units, or may be left separate to permit each unit to bedriven independent of the others.

Another object of this invention is to provide perfect register between the different colors, and to obviate the necessity of lining up the different plates as to front and side register by aligning the sheet with the plate of the second color unit as it leaves the first color unit. 1

With the above and other objects in View which will appear asthe description proceeds,

5*my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claim, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisunits;

closed invention'may be made as come within Figure 4 is a detail View illustrating a modified clutch structure for coupling the drive shafts; and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View taken through Figure ion the plane of the line Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 5 repre-.

sents the first color unit or section and 6 the second color unit arranged to receive the sheets as they leave the unit 5. Each unit 5 and 6 comprises plate cylinders 7, impression cylinders 8, and delivery cylinders 9. Conventional inking mechanisms '10 are piovided for each color unit to ink the plates, not shown, carried by the plate cylinder 7 in the well known manner.

In operation the sheet is fed into the unit 5 'either automatically or manually by being placed on a feed board 11 having afront stop 12 and side registers'lB which center the sheet with respect to the plate carried by the plate cylinder 7 ,-to be picked up by grippers 14 carried by the impression cylinder 8. The grippers l4 carry the sheet through the unit 5 and as itpasses beneath the plate cylinder 7 the first color is printed thereon.

From the impresslon cylinder 8 the sheet is transferred to-the delivery cylinder 9 being picked up by grippers 15 carried by gripper bars not shown, forming part of a conveyor chain 16. The grippers '15 of the conveyor chain then carry the sheet from the v unit 5 and deposit it upon a tape conveyor 17 unit or to a suitable delivery platform, not

I 9 gether it is obvious that the shafts 31 are tently engageablewith a roll 22' travelling at a slower speed than the tapes 18. The engagement of the roll 22 with the roll 22' at the time when a sheet is positioned therebetween retards the forward movement of the sheet as is well known in the art.

Prior to entering the unit 6, the sheet again passes between side registers 24 to be properly aligned with the plate of the second color unit. The process of printing which takes place. in the second unit 6 is identical to that described in connection with the unit 5, and after the sheet has been printed with the second color it is picked up by the delivery conveyor chain grippers 15 of the unit 6 which carry the sheet either'to a third color shown. I Each unit has a pinion 25 which meshes with a gear 26 connected with its impressioncylinder. The gears 26 impart the drivin action of the pinions to the plate cylinders through gears 27 and to the delivery cylinders through gears 28. The pinions 25 are each driven from shafts 29 by chains 30 or the like,

.connected with motors 38 through drive and the shafts 29 aredrivingly connected with lon itudinal axially aligned shafts 31 through evel gears 32.

-. The shafts 31 are suitably journaled in bearings 33 and have clutch members 34 fixed to their adjacent ends by which they may be rigidly connected to insure synchronized operation of the two units. In the present instance, the clutchmembers consist of flanges 35 adapted to be secured together by bolts 36. Each shaft 31 also has a drive sprocket 37 fixed thereto between its clutch'member and the adjacent bearing 33, to-be drivingly chains 39 or the like. r 7

When the clutch-members are secured torigidly connected and inasmuch as the motors 38 are identicalas to speed and horse power ratings, it follows, that both units 5 and 6 ai-e simultaneously driven in step with each other. -However, when it is necessary to prepare the press for new work, which in the art is known as make-ready, the bolts 36 are removed so that one unit may be driven independent of the other.

- During makeready the outer end 40 of the delivery mechanism which feeds the sheets from the'unit 5 to the unit 6 is raised to the position 41 illustrated in dotted lines which permits an operator to manually feed proof sheets to the unit 6 and as each unit may be driven independent of the other, thus enables and it reduces the time required for makeready to' that required for a single color. Thuswith a two color press which has been rated as productive for 60% of the time, the simultaneous making-ready of" both units would increase'the time for actual printing to approximately 80% of the operating time. The control for the starting and stopping of the drive motors 38 is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 2.

When the bolts 36 of the clutch members are removed and the shafts 31 are free to turn with respect to each other so that each motor may drive its unit independent of the other, the position of the elements of the electrical control are as. illustrated in Figure 2. When it is desired to drive both units, at the same time, and to control the starting and stopping of their motors simultaneously, a switch 42 is closed which energizes a solenoid 43 by connecting it across feed lines 44 and 45 through conductors 46 and 47, the switch 42 being interposed in the conductor 47.

-Energzation of the solenoid 43 attracts the armature 48 of a magnetic switch indicated generally by the numeral49 and including normally open switches 50, 51, 52 and normally closed switches 53 and54.

After the'magnetic switch-49 is thus closed and the positions of the individual switches carried thereby reversed from that illustrated in Figure 2, the control is in such condition that all of the conventional push button controls of the both units effect both motors simultaneously.

The control for the motors includes magnetically closed switches 55 and 56, the switch 55 connecting the motor of the unit 6 across the lines when closed. and the switch 56 connecting the motor of the unit 5 across the lines. The closing of the switches 55 and 56 in dependent uponthe energization of their solenoids 57 and 58 respectively, and the energization of these solenoids in turn is brought about, when the control is set to simultaneously govern the operation of both motors, by the closing of either a push button start switch 59 mounted on the unit 6 or a similar switch 60 mounted on the un t 5. To break the circuitof the solenoids 57 and 58, push button stop switches 61 and 62 are provided.

It is, of course,,understood that any numton-switch 60, beginning from theline 44,

extendsthrough conductor 63 to one side of the closed stop switch 62 through the switch to its other side then through a conductor 64 to a terminal 65 of the switch 54.

From the terminal 65 the circuit continues through the closed switch 54 to its contact 66 from where a conductor 67 leads to one side 68 of-the push. button start switch60. The

switch 60 having been closed, carries the current across toits other side 69, which then passes through conductor 70 to one side of from the side the solenoid 58,'through the solenoid 58 toenergize it, and to the line through a conductor 71.

Upon energization of the solenoid 58 the magnetic switch 56 closes and connects the motor of the unit and also closes the switch 72. The switch 72, in closing, maintains the continuity of the circuit energizing'the solenoid 58 to permit the push button start switch to be released. The circuit for the solenoid 58 then extends 68 of the open switch 60, through conductor 73 to the terminal 74 of the switch 72-, through the closed switch 72, and to the other side 69 of the open start switch 60, through the conductor 75. From the point 69 the circuit is again completed by the conductor 70, the solenoid and the cond'uctor 71.

The closing of the motor circuit of the unit 5 thus has no effect upon to that described in connection with the unit 5. i

To actuate the. control of the motor of the unit 6 the push button start switch 59 is closed which causes the solenoid 57 to be energized.

' The circuit of the solenoid 57 also begins with the line 44 and extends through conductor 76 to the contact 77 of the normally closed switch 53, through the switch 53 to its terminal' 78, through conductor 79 to one side 'of the normally closed push button stop switch 61, and from its other side through solenoid to energize it and being completedthrough conductor 84 to the line 45. Asbe fore, circuit of the solenoid isimaintained independent of the'push button start switch, by the closing of the switch 55 which closes a switch 85.

The circuit then entends from the side 81 5 across the lilies 44 and 45 a the control for the .motor of the unit 6 which functions similar of the now open switch 59 through conductor 86 to contact 87, through the closed switch 85 and to the other side of the switch 59, through conductor 88, from which point the circuit continues through the conductor 83 to one side of the solenoid 57 and to the line 45 through conductor 84. To open the circuits of the solenoids 57 and 58 it is only necessary todepress their respective push button stop switches 61 and 62 respectively.

The control is maintained in this position throughout the make-ready, enabling each operator to control his unit entirely independent of the other, permitting him to startthe ,machine, stop it and do whatever is necessary during the process of the make-ready without effecting the similar work of the operator of the other unit. It is obvious that in this manner the time for make-ready of a two color press is reduced to that required for a single color press and where more than two colors are used the time for make-ready is even further reduced.

After both units have been made ready and the outerend 40 of the delivery mechanism of the unit 5 is again lowered to its position above the tape conveyor 17, it is necessary before the clutch members 34 are con-,

nected, to line up or put the two color units in step. This is necessitated by the fact that the drive shafts 31 travel at a greater speed than the plate and impression cylinders, and-- to facilitate the proper alignment of one unit with the other, the impression cylinders of both units are provided with arrows 89 which align with arrows 90 on the adjacent portion of the frame 91 when the two units are in step. The bolts 36 may then'be inserted to connect the clutch members 34.

After the clutch members are engaged the switch 42 is closed which as. has been described, closes the magnetic-switch 49'and reverses the positions of the switches 50, 51, 52, 53, and 54. When the control is in this condition the closing of either of the push button start switches 59 or 60, simultaneously closes the circuits of both solenoids 57 and 58 to connect both motors across the line. Considering that theswitch 60 is closed the circuit for the solenoids 57 and 58 is as follows:

Again beginning with the line 44, the circuit extends through conductor 63, normally closed stop switch 62, conductor 64 to terminal 65. and the now open switch 54. The

switch 54 having been opened, the circuit cannot follow the path previously described, but continues along conductor 92 to terminal 93 of the now closedswitch 52, acrossthe switch to it's contact 94, then through conductor 95 to terminal 7 8 of the just opened switch 53, From the terminal 78 the circuit follows conductor 79 to the normallyclosed stop switch 61 the conductor 80 to the side 81 of the push button start switch 59 which however, has not been closed. The current the now closed switch 51.

- the switch 50 to its terminal 104, then along conductor 105, and to the line through conductor 84 as previously described.

Thus it will be seen that the closing of the switch 60 has-energized both the solenoids 57 and 58, which in closing connect their respective motors across the line and also close their switches 85- and 72 respecline.

tively, to maintain the circuit of the solenoids independent of the switch 60. If the switch 59 is closed the same condition will take place,

that is, both solenoids 57 and 58 will be energized.

When this is done, the circuit begins at the same point and extends along conductor.

63 across the closed stop switch 62, conductor 64, conductor 92, switch 52, conductor 95, conductor 79, closed stop switch 61, conductor 80 to the side 81 of the switch 59. The

switch 59 having been closed, the circuit continues through the switch to its other side 82 through conductor 83 to the solenoid 57 and then to the line 45 through conductor 84, to energize the solenoid. From the side of the solenoid 57 with which the conductors 83 and 105 are connected, the circuit also extends along conductor .105 to terminal 104 of the closed switch 50, through the switch to its contact 103, from which the conductor 102 completes the circuit to the solenoid 58.

, As the circuit for both'solenoids 57 and. 58 passes through both the stop switches 61 and 62 it is obvious that the opening'of either one will interrupt the continuity of the circuit, and permit the switches and 56 to be opened to disconnect both motors from the In Figures 4 and 5 is illustrated a slightly modified manner ofcoupling the drive shafts 31. 'In this structure, the clutch members 34 are replaced by convenional jaw clutch iiU members 106 and 107, the member 107 being fixed to its shaft 31 and the member 106 i being slidably, but non -rotatably connected with its respective shaft.

Axial movement of the clutchmember 106:

to engage and disengage the member 107 is obtained by means of a handle 108 secured at its lower end to a transverse shaft 109 suitably journalled in bearing members 110. The inner endof. the transverse shaft 109 has a shifter fork 111 secured thereto, which,

terminal 99 of The outermost bearing 110 has a segment.

114 extended therefrom which a member 115 cooperates to maintain the lever and Y consequently the jaw 106 in either of its two positions, The member 115 is yieldably engaged with the depressions of the segment 11; by an expansive spring 116' and is moved out of engagement with the depressions against the action of the spring by movement .of the grip 117, in the customary manner.

The shaft 109 also has a lever arm 118 fixed thereto, the outer end of which is connected with the actuating arm 119 of a switch 120 which takes the place of the switch 42, so that actuation of the handle 108 to engage and disengage the clutch members automatically closes and opens the switch to place the electrical control in proper condition.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen that I provide, a multi-color press which eliminates the major difiiculties of make-ready, simplifies the design of such presses. and reduces the time required for make-ready to that required for a single color press.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a printing press, a plurality of printing units in end to end arrangement, each unit having a delivery mechanism arranged to feed the following unit, drive means including a. motor for each unit, an electric control for the motors includinga plurality of'manually actuated switches, a switch incorporated within the electric control, one position of the switch placing the control in a condition whereby all of the manually actuated switches control all of the drive motors, and another position of the switch placing the control in a condition whereby the manually actuated switches of each unit effect only the drive motor vof their respective unit, mechanical means for coupling the drive means of the units, and means whereby setting of the mechanical means simultaneously moves the switch within the electrical control to its position corresponding to the position of the means for coupling the drive means of the different units.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

I FRANK R. BELLUCHE. 

